je ne sais quoi!

Mark Anthony on how to emulate the French fussfree style that is effortless yet sophisticated!

Women cottoned on to it a while ago, and it’s high time we men did the same: the French have a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to matters of style – a unique and instantly recognisable way of dressing that the entire world tries to emulate. It’s an aesthetic based on principles of pared-back sophistication, a fuss-free approach to style that is difficult to decode. Interestingly, in all its effortless elegance, the archetypal French male’s wardrobe can be surprisingly small, limited to versatile items in a reduced palette of navy, black, white, grey and a couple of other colours at most – all indisputably classic pieces worn over and over again with confidence. The other secret to French style is the appropriation of utilitarian garments, derived from military and workwear uniforms, which they put together nonchalantly, not even worrying if the occasion requires something dressier.

Left: Reiss Right: Mango

28 EILE Magazine